Less Work For More Food

Basilisk is a great student and does everything Fern asks of him. When he shows her the finished product, Fern wags her tail and says, “Great job Basilisk!” Picking up the braided rope, she gives it a small tug with her teeth and nods in satisfaction at how strong it is. Putting the freshly braided leather rope aside, Fern pulls two long, thin, round wooden poles out from the pack she brought. On each of them there is one end that has a hole bored through it and the opposite end has a shaved spot when it looks like the two might fit together. Placing the items between them, Fern explains, “These are what will set the trap off. She the carved-out areas? They fit together and, when a hoof happens to hit them, they will break apart. But, to make the whole trap work, we will need to have a line attached to a weight. Which brings us to the other end.”

Pale paw moves to point out the holes, as Fern explains, “See these? We are going to put some thinner, longer leather strips through those. Now I get to see how dexterous you are.” She throws the huge pup a wink while she fishes out the two lines from the bag and passes one over to Basilisk. When he is ready, she shows him how to use his paws and teeth to maneuver the line through the spot. Looking up at the pup, she says, “Ready to try? Remember, I am here to help so don’t hesitate to use my paws.” A smile is on Fern’s lips as she watches Basilisk work.


"Fern Lark" | "Puff"